This blog is meant to display my coins/currency notes/stamps, in an informative manner, which would be useful to users in knowing about the history of the period when these coins/banknotes/stamps were minted/printed and events/persons they honour/depict, both on Indian and foreign coins/banknotes/stamps. The content would be more in the nature of a walk down memory lane through my collection/articles.

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Saturday, 28 January 2017

426) India – Portugal: Joint Issue: A set of two Commemorative Stamps in the denominations of 2500 Paise or Rs.25/- and 500 Paise or Rs.5/- brought out by India Post on 07.01.2017:

426)
India – Portugal: Joint Issue: A set of two Commemorative Stamps in the
denominations of 2500 Paise or Rs.25/- and 500 Paise or Rs.5/- brought out by
India Post on 07.01.2017:

India and Portugal have
excellent bilateral relationships with frequent and active interaction through
different platforms and have mechanisms that allow both countries to exchange
views on many issues of mutual concerns/benefits.

The two countries
presently share warm and friendly ties with close political, cultural and people-to-people
ties.

This Joint-issue brought
out by these two countries has been released with a view to promote Philately
in both countries and depicts the Folk Dances of both India and Portugal – “Dandiya” Dance for India and “Pauliteiros” Dance for Portugal.

“Dandiya” Dance:

“Dandiya” dance is featured and is a most popular dance form
performed during the “Navratri”
festival in all parts of India, and is particularly popular in the State of
Gujarat. “Dandiya” dance is known for
setting the festive mood.

This Dance form holds a
special significance, as it is performed in honour of Goddess Durga’s victory
over the mighty demon king “Mahishasur”.
The Dance represents a mock fight between the Goddess and the demon. The sticks
used in the dance represent the sword of the Goddess Durga. Women normally
perform the dance in a graceful and rhythmic manner in a circle as they circle
around the “mandvi”.

In “Dandiya” Dance, attired in colourful costumes, men and women dance
in two circles, with colourful sticks in their hands. The women wear
traditional dresses glittering with mirror-work and heavy jewellery, while men
were colourful traditional costumes.

During the dance, the
dancers energetically whirl and move their feet and arms in a complicated,
choreographed manner to the tune of the music with a lot of drum beats in
various rhythms.

The “dhol” (drum) is used as a percussion instrument along with the “dholak”, “tabla”, “bongos” (all
kinds of drums) etc.

Pauliteiros:

The Pauliteiros are those
who practice a dance typical of Terras de
Miranda, in the Northeast of Portugal.

This dance is carried out
by a group of men which includes eight dancers and three musicians, who were an
outfit composed of an embroidered skirt and linen shirt, brown waist-coat,
leather boots, woollen socks and a hat, usually decorated with flowers. They
perform a complex choreography using sticks to the sound of the bagpipe, the
snare drum and a brass drum or the “Flauta
pastoral” (a traditional recorder) and castanet – the “Lhaco”.

Lhaco is the name given in
the Mirandese language to each of the melodies, including text and choreography
that are a part of the Pauliteiros dance. The words to the Lhacos are mostly in
Mirandese, although some are in Spanish or Portuguese.

The Pauliteiros often
represent Terras de Miranda at events
abroad, but the true origin of this dance is lost in the mists of time.

It may have appeared in
Transylvania during the Iron Age, a sword dance that spread through Central Europe
until it reached the Iberian Peninsula. There are references alluding to the
fact that, later, the Celt-Iberians performed these dances before battles,
substituting the swords for sticks. Romans, Suebi and Visigoths also upheld
this tradition, associated with fertility rituals during agricultural cycles.

By the 10th
Century, the Christian Church adopted this dance during festivals in honour of
the saints, which were made to correspond to periods of solstice and equinox.

The
Pauliteiros travelled the villages, taking part in processions and gathering
alms. They still take their collection in this way – present day.

A
set of two Commemorative Stamps in the denominations of 2500 Paise or Rs.25/-
and 500 Paise or Rs.5/- brought out by India Post on 07.01.2017:

The First Day Cover (FDC)
brought out on the occasion shows dancers performing the two dances – Dandiya
and Pauliteiros. On the right bottom is mentioned “Bharat Aur Purtgaal: Sanyukt
Dak Tikat” (in Hindi) and “India-Portugal: Joint Issue” (in English). The "Swacchh Bharat Mission" logo and slogan is in the Centre of the FDC.

The 500 Paise or Rs.5/-
stamp shows the Dandiya dance while the 2500 Paise or Rs.25/- stamp shows the
Pauliteiros dance. The cancellation hand-stamp is of New Delhi GPO and is
titled “Bharat Aur Purtgaal: Sanyukt Dak Tikat” (in Hindi) and “India-Portugal:
Joint Issue” (in English). The Cancellation Date is 07.01.2017

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .